The transition from high school to college is a very big change for most people and we’ve all heard of the infamous “freshman 15.” As a senior in high school I had given this very little thought but as I am now approaching my 5th month here at state college, I am starting to realize that maybe there is some truth to this. As popular as this phrase has become, is it actually true, or is it simply a myth?
In an article on the Dallas News website, they discuss an Ohio State experiment that provides some factual evidence on this issue. They proclaim that although students do seem to gain some weight throughout their freshman year of college, it is more along the lines of 5 pounds rather than 15. In an Ohio State study of 7,418 kids, they found that the average weight gain freshman year was about 3 pounds. “Less than 10 percent of the freshmen gained 15 pounds or more, and a quarter of the students actually lost weight in their first year.”
In addition to the freshman year, they also did a larger study that focused on the weight gain throughout all 4 years of school. They found that on average females gained 7-9 pounds while males gained 12-13 pounds. They found that the most common cause of the weight gain were the people that said they had 6 or more drinks at least 4 days every month. They did mention that some other variables such as exercise, healthy eating habits and sleep could also play a role in the freshman 15.
I think overall this was an okay study but it could have been better. Correlation does not equal causation. Just as sleep could have an affect on GPA, GPA could also affect sleep habits. If a student has a low GPA and they need to improve their grades, they may sleep less to study more. Also, they could have improved this study by controlling 3rd variables such as exercise, amount of sleep, and eating habits to ensure more accurate results. Although chance is always present, from this study it appears that the freshman 15 is merely a myth for majority of people.
http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/health-and-fitness/health/20131014-the-freshman-15-is-it-for-real.ece
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/freshman15.htm
I agree the freshmen 15 is real. It may not be 15 pounds for everyone, but almost everyone gains at least a few pounds. Since it is a big adjustment in lifestyle such as eating habits and exercise schedules, weight can add on pretty quickly. I definitely know there are people who have gained 15 pounds and some have even gained more. It is such a stressful time and sometimes food can be the best comfort. What about after freshman year? This study, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2696183/, says weight gain continues sophomore year.
The freshman 15 is so real, me being one of its victims. I think one of the causes of it is probably the different style of eating. All freshman are required to live on campus, and since most do not have a kitchen in their dorm, they most likely have a meal plan. I know that dining hall food is nothing like what my mom cooks at home, so that has definitely played a part in my weight gain. Also, drinking is a huge cause of weight gain. While many people drank before they came to college, they probably did not drink as much alcohol as they drink here. Alcohol also leads to drunk eating, another cause of my freshman 15. Heres a cool article on everything you might want to know about the freshman 15: http://www.thedailymeal.com/what-you-need-know-about-freshman-15
I definitely believe in the freshman 15, I myself fluctuated by about 3 pounds, but I do know a lot of people who gained 10-15 pounds. Being in a different environment definitely affects what you eat, especially when you’re unable to cook, and spend most of your days on the go. Keeping a heathy diet is so difficult in college because most of the easy and fast food options, are unhealthy. Not to mention, this is a party school, so many people put on the pounds from alcohol alone. Like you said, there are a lot of other factors that go into weight gain, such as sleep habits. It is also difficult to find time in between studies and extra curricular activities to work out on a daily basis. According to the Huffington Post, the researchers in the Ohio State study denote that people in this age range are still growing into their adult sizes. While some weight gain might be due to poor choices, it could also be attributed to our body development.
I think the freshmen fifteen is definitely real! The combination of living in a new environment, not having our home cooked meals and basically not having anyone tell us what we can and cannot do I think many freshmen are hit with these extra few pounds. Many students, including myself, lived very active high school years through high school sports and required gym classes. However, being at such a competitive school many of us left our athletic careers in high school. Having to create our own time to exercise can definitely be difficult for students who never had to worry about that before coming to college. I can admit I have put on a few pounds but I know I can get back to my high school shape by implementing a stricter work out routine and eating an overall better diet. If you also have put on a few pounds; check out this link on ways to beat the freshmen fifteen!
http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/college/freshman_15.html